Vermilion

Chapter 25

Zachary felt warm as he lay on his bed. He tried to perceive his surroundings without opening his eyes, just to know if someone was around. Though he knew that there was no one around, he focused on the image of his eyes to be blue for it was better to be careful. It is precarious if he forgot to wear illusions on them and he tried his best to avoid reflective materials.

His vision was blur. Rubbing his eyes, he pulled himself to sit up but pain struck his right shoulder making it a pain to rise. With clear sight, he gently massaged the aching shoulder and thought what brought the sudden stung on it.

As he tried to recall, the memories came to him like lightning. All the circumstances of the last night's ball repeated in front of him vividly. Overwhelmed and angry, he tossed the blanket off of him and propped his left arm on the headboard. He was stripped to the waist.

But he cried out in unpleasant surprise when he noticed the sight of his left arm. He stared with wide eyes as his other hand traced the dark jagged line from below the joint of his elbow up to his shoulder. The back of his hand was dark. Dark-skinned scar. The scar on his chest started like this before it became rough and spreading.

Then he moved his hand on the cicatrice on his chest where his heart was underneath. As he had feared, it was larger. Larger than his hand, half of his chest down to the stomach. Sooner or later, the scar on his left arm would be eating his whole limb.

It is a reminder that he is already dead. He could not show himself or hide himself like this for long so the red-head should die as soon as possible.

His waking up this morning proved that Robert failed his mission. What was with him? If that was only a human then why Robert had not have him dead? Is he standing against unearthly being? He does not care, that being should die!

He moved out of his bed, did his ceremonial ablutions, and dressed himself. He took a glove for his left hand. It looked ridiculous for him to have only the left hand gloved but let it be for he had no plans of going out.

He went out of his room, took the path toward the east wing, and went to the study room where he expects to see the earl. The last evening's murder and attempts were not to be left undiscussed, these might also lead him to that murderer. It was only now that he became certain that the same person he had in mind killed the gentleman in the balcony. And who knows what that vile person wanted to do with Miranda.

Reaching the study, he opened the door not minding to knock. "Uncle..."

Lord Felton sat against his desk and Ralph on the sofa. With them was a sturdy man with dark brown hair and clean-shaved prominent jaws with a broken nose. With the man's stiff posture, it made him think that the man was one of the authorities.

"Zachary, I see you're well. This is Malcolm Terell, the investigator in charge of Haven's case," Lord Felton introduced.

He just nodded at the man who bothered to offer a hand to him.

Malcolm smiled for Lord Zachary refused to shake his hands with him. Regaining his posture, he cleared his throat. "I've heard the statements and it's a relief that you, my lord, was not caught. You can be assured that our force would not stop until the culprits are in hand."

"And yet, you're doing not well enough," he said conversationally.

Mr. Terell was struck with the blatant words that he tugged his cravat then lifted his chin to him. It was a gesture of shame, Zachary thought. The officers were doing a bad job on his case and yet they were paid handsomely.